I just completed my second week of work at Heartland Millwork and I’ve learned a lot.
But I haven’t learned that much more about woodworking, I learned the more on the psychology of fellow Canadian/German woodworkers in a small shop, starting with “Americans know nothing of craftsmanship”. Now, I could take offense to any condescending remarks from Canadians and Germans in this area, but I hold my tongue and ponder why they say such things and say them to my face.
First thing, I realized that I’ve got nothing to prove….literally! Without a structured apprenticeship program in the U.S., I’ve got nothing to prove my knowledge and skill level in woodworking and this proved to be the biggest handicap when I was looking for work here in Canada. I’ve got a resume and a portfolio, but that means nothing to the job market in Canada. They want real proof of your abilities and I don’t have that.
So, I get the job (I was the 4th string choice), and I start the infusion process into the rhythm and flow of the shop (of which there is little) and being American, I start contributing my ideas of processes and techniques to some of the projects and that’s when “it” hit the wall. And from that point on, anything I say, touch or do is discredited, undone or corrected just for the sake of doing so.
I will be honest and say my feelings and ego were hurt a little. I did feel that what I had to contribute had some merit and was successful in the States but it has no place in this environment because I haven’t committed myself to the fundamentals and appropriate apprenticeships in our craft. I now see why that’s important.
It’s important because with the basic structure of apprenticeship programs and what they offer is something very dependable for the employer and employee. For the employee it offers a confidence in knowledge and skill but it also offers a commitment and passion to the craft. For the employer it offers a solid starting point for pay scales, abilities and responsibilities in the shop but most important a fully ticketed craftsman insures the employer the highest in quality control which means $$$$.
So, for now, until I’m ticketed, I’ll keep my mouth shut and my eyes and ears open and look for ways to learn from these guys and hopefully earn their respect.
Daniel
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